Insights and Innovations from Informa's Recent Copay and Patient Support Congresses

It was a joy to attend the Copay, Reimbursement, and Access Congress and the Patient Support Services Congress hosted by Informa two weeks ago. It was great to connect with many of you and discuss ways to enhance patients’ lives.

So many great takeaways, but here are my top ones:

• The Implementation of the IRA: I have attended many presentations about the IRA, and it was certainly a theme throughout the conferences, however, the fact remains that time will tell exactly what the long-term impact is to patients and the downstream effects to manufacturers and patient services. Ed Gajewski and Derek Cothran from Nuvera Life Science Consulting provided key learnings from Payers and presented a helpful matrix for manufacturers addressing the IRA and its implications.

• Artificial Intelligence: As much as we have heard about AI, I do believe that we are at the point at which it is being used to provide efficiency and better patient experiences. For example, using AI to identify and analyze patient support contact center trends and develop business insights for more effective programs is one example that was provided by Jenna Okoro and the team at Authenticx.

• Patient Experience: Multiple manufacturers discussed the desire to provide excellent patient experiences by giving patients more than they expect. By using AI, the expectation is that program staff will be able to identify groups of patients with more acute needs and be able to facilitate human connection.

• Accumulator/Maximizer: The topic that does not go away! Maximizers continue to have a significant impact on patients’ out of pocket costs. Mercalis’ very own Michael Harris provided an overview of what will be the next innovation in identification of impacted patients at enrollment and mitigation of maximizer programs.

• Data Insights: Working with a partner who can ingest, analyze, and synthesize data from multiple streams to enable personalized care and targeted interventions was another recurring theme during the conference. Stuart Kamin of Claritas, and the panel he led including Diana Villanova of Catalyst was a thoughtful discussion about optimization of resources and proactive management of patient cases through data insights.

• Patient Services Program Awareness: Many presenters emphasized the continued need to raise awareness among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients about the patient support resources provided by manufacturers. Effective program awareness requires strategic and thoughtful communication plans, cross-functional collaboration among all internal stakeholders (digital, brand marketing, patient services, field sales, FRMs, etc.) and the deliberate use of various communication channels based on patient preference.

Attending the Copay, Reimbursement, and Access Conference and the Patient Support Services Congress was incredibly enriching. The key takeaways underscore the dynamic landscape of patient support, from leveraging AI for enhanced experiences to the critical importance of data insights and program awareness. As we move forward, these insights will be instrumental in shaping strategies that better serve patients and optimize support services. Looking forward to continuing these important conversations and innovations in the field.

For more information, consider these relevant resources:

[The Indirect Impacts of the IRA on Pharmaceutical Pipeline and Portfolio Strategy]

[Mercalis Patient Journey: End-to-End Commercialization Services ]

Building a Better On-Ramp to Access Therapy: How Technology-first Solutions Provide Speed to Therapy and Cost Savings for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers